Healthy eating, good nutrition, and healthy living are the goals of a new grant being given to the City of Greenville. The Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation and the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association (NCRPA) have given Greenville Recreation and Parks a grant to develop and maintain a 40’ x 40’ children’s garden at Greenfield Terrace Park.

Participants in the park’s summer day camp program will plant, tend, and harvest the garden, as well as prepare and eat its products. In addition, a child nutritionist will visit with the campers numerous times during the eight-week session to provide healthy eating classes and cooking lessons. The City is hoping campers will become acquainted with the benefits and processes of healthy eating, and aware of the physical and nutritional opportunities that gardening offers.

“A big part of our department’s mission is to offer opportunities for healthy living, particularly for our youth,” said Gary Fenton, Director of Recreation and Parks. “This initiative will facilitate and encourage healthy eating, as well as provide opportunities for ongoing access to healthy foods through active gardening.”

Greenville is one of 16 communities across the state receiving the grant. All told, the NCRPA and BCBSNC are providing almost $70,000 in Healthy Eating Equipment grants.

“Partnering with the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation has enabled NCRPA to assist the Greenville Recreation and Parks Department with financial and technical resources to promote healthy eating and consumption of local foods,” stated Michelle Wells, NCRPA Executive Director. “Providing healthier food choices is a natural component to physical activity opportunities provided by parks and recreation as we move toward the goal of healthier communities.”

Health and wellness is an important part of every community. It is recognized on both a state and national level that recreation and park departments play an important role in the health of the communities they serve. NCRPA strives to be a leader across the state by helping park and recreation agencies be catalysts to create healthy communities through the development of programs, policies, and infrastructure that support healthy eating and physical activity.

“The North Carolina Recreation and Park Association is already an important partner in creating healthier places to play, and now they are stepping up to provide healthy local foods,” said Kathy Higgins, president of the BCBSNC Foundation. “The Healthy Eating Equipment grants are helping Greenville Recreation and Parks start new programs to bring access to healthy foods to communities across North Carolina.”

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